What about your friends, will they stand their ground,
Will they let you down again?
What about your friends, are they gonna be lowdown,
Will they ever be around,
Or will they turn their backs on you?
“What about your friends” written by Dallas Austin and Lisa “Left Eye” Lopez (1992)
I think one of the reasons that black people loved Bill Clinton, is he knew black people, had black friends. He and Hillary, didn’t seem out of place in a black church and didn’t need to bring a prop, when he spoke to people of color.
Unfortunately, the need of a prop is still a part of politics today. There are some politicians, who believe they are more effective if they have a prop when they address a crowd of people who do not resemble them ,to make those people comfortable.
Yesterday, North Carolina Congressman Mark Meadows brought a prop. In the form of Lynne Patton. President Trump former Attorney Michael Cohen testified before the House Oversight Committee. Said Trump is a racist who told him that African Americans were too stupid to vote for him. Lynne Patton sole purpose was to tell the world, that she is black and as a black woman she would never work for a racist.
I was troubled as this black women stood in a sea of white faces. I guess they didn’t have an extra chair.
No one in America, will ever question if our President is a racist.
” Ms Patton very presence offended nearly every woman of color”
Congresswomen Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts posed a question to Michael Cohen
“Would you agree that someone could deny rental units to African-Americans, lead the birther movement, refer to to the diaspora as ‘shithole countries,’ and refer to white supremacists as ‘fine people,’ have a black friend, and still be racist?” Yes he answered.
When it was Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib of Michigan turn to speak, she went further. “Just because someone has a person of color, a black person working for them does not mean they aren’t racist,” Tlaid said. “And it is insensitive, and some would even say that the fact that someone would actually use a prop, a black woman, in this chamber, in this committee”—here she took a heavy sigh—”is alone racist in itself.”
Congressman Meadows responded angrily, demanding Chairman Cummings strike the Congresswoman’s comment from the record.
Congressman Meadows double down by saying he wasn’t a racist, as his nieces and nephews are people of color. Clearly the Congressman isn’t close to his family as its very unlikely they would approve the use a person of color as a prop.
Congressmen Meadows lives in a world where people would never work or support anyone who is racist sexist, or homophobic with one exception, if he were President or Congressman from North Carolina. Some will remember back in 2012, he told his supporters that they were going to send President Obama home to Kenya or wherever it is?
Turns out, Michael Cohen was responsible for Trump hiring Mrs Patton. Cohen told the Congressman that there were no black executives in the Trump Organization.
Remind me, it is 2019, right?
CityFella
”
I could go on for hours about the Pot’s (President Trump) racists comment for hours, but you and I don’t have that kind of time.
Racism in any form is unacceptable. Freshman, Congresswoman, Iihan Omar, the first Somali American elected to the house. Her anti-semitic comments are not welcome. as she represents all Americans in her district.
Speaker of the house, Nancy Pelosi called on her to apologize.
On Tuesday, Pot said Omar should resign or be barred from serving on congressional committees as punishment for her remarks on Israel. Pot’s Vice President, said Omar’s apology was inadequate
House Majority Leader Steny Hover said Omar would not lose her assignments.
Nancy Pelosi dismissed the GOP calls for Omar’s punishment. She said the GOP was not coming from a place with clean hands. She reminded a reporter from CNN of Pot’s anti-Semitic comments and said:
“I think the administration owes a public apology for some of the things that were said there. As I heard the president speaking this morning, all that was going through my mind was “Jew-S-A, Jew-S-A” at his rallies that he never distanced himself from. They shouldn’t go down this path, they do not have clean hands.”
Yesterday, Omar responded to Pot, accusing him of “trafficking” in hate and intolerance.
One of Omar critics is House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. Last year, he Tweeted
The tweet included a video featuring McCarthy discussing George Soros, Tom Steyer and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, all Jewish men who are significant donors to Democratic campaigns and causes.
It invoked a stereotype about the Jewish faith that has long been considered to be an anti-Semitic dog whistle popular among the alt-right, and it’s a tactic that the president himself was accused of employing in his 2016 campaign
McCarthy denied expressing anti-Semitic undertones in a now-deleted tweet he posted before last year’s midterms that warned of three prominent Jewish Democratic donors trying to “buy” the election.
CityFella
So quick we are to judge. Who needs facts or details? One blip ,one bump and your career in over. When my children were growing up, I would tell them its not what your say, its what you do.
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam was young when he took a picture in Blackface standing next to someone in a Ku Klux Klan costume. Both pictures are offensive to this blackman. As difficult as its seems, there are people who are racially tone deaf, even in 2019. Usually individuals who live in mono,environments ( Megan Kelly comes to mind ) because these individuals have limited contact with people outside their communities, they are often shocked when they are called insensitive or racist, because they work with people of color.
There is a difference between working and socializing and this is where I struggle with the Governor, who graduated from a predominately black high school. He reportedly has strong personal ties with blacks in Virginia. So the picture is not only a shock to the black citizens of the state, but a surprise to his black friends.
As a flawed human being I try not to rush to judgement. Throughout my life as a flawed human being, I have made some poor decisions in my youth and as an adult. When he took the picture nearly 35 years ago, he wasn’t thinking about the impact that picture might have on his personal and professional career.
The Picture ,was published February 1, 2019 on the website Big League Politics . Big League Politics was founded by former Breitbart News Employees and is considered a far right wing conservative website.
In Virginia’s 2017 Gubernatorial election, Ralph Northam received an estimated 87% of the black vote, 67% of the Latino Vote and 61% of the women’s vote. He was supported by many groups notably the Latino Victory Fund and Planned Parenthood and support by many black political organizations, most are now asking the Governor to resign.
His Positions:
The Governor supports a $15.00 minimum wage and is against a state constitutional amendment enshrining right to work legislation. That would allow employees in unionized workplaces are banned from negotiating contracts which require all members who benefit from the union contract to contribute to the costs of union representation.
Northam “has called for phasing out the grocery tax on low-income people and ending business taxes in struggling rural areas.
The Governor as a record of supporting Abortion rights, ( Planned Parenthood supported him in his election campaign) He is against a bill called the Repeal Act that would allow third trimester abortions to be performed if a single physician determines that there is any physical or mental health risk to the mother. Currently, Virginia law only allows third-trimester abortions to be performed in the state if three physicians determine that continued pregnancy would be “substantially and irremediably” harmful to a woman’s health. This bill is supported by many Republicans and may be a topic in the 2020 Presidential Campaign.
Northam has proposed making it free for students to pursue a community college education or apprenticeship in a high-demand field (such as cyber security and early childhood education under the condition that they commit to a year of paid public service. He opposes public funding for private schools. (wiki)
In February 2017, Northam cast a tie-breaking vote in the state Senate against a bill to ban sanctuary cities in Virginia
In Washington Post, Article Titled “Anger and sadness as African Americans in Virginia consider Northam’s fate”
In conversations at churches, salons and coffee shops, African Americans disagreed about whether Northam must resign, but all voiced a sense of betrayal. In public office, Northam worked to expand Medicaid, the health program that serves the poor, and he helped to restore voting rights for felons, a policy that helps many black men. Many in the black community saw him as an ally, and as one of the good guys.
It’s a real slap in the face. You pretend to be my friend, and you’re really not,” said Thomas Parham Jr., as he arrived for worship Sunday at the historic Alfred Street Baptist Church in Old Town Alexandria. It’s one thing, he said, to encounter a racist public official. It’s almost worse when it’s someone perceived to be an ally. “I’d rather know where you stand.”
What is disconcerting about this controversy. is the Democratic tidal wave against this Governor. Not based on his record, or actions or public statements but a silly misguided picture taken when he was in medical school.
Governor Northam is no Steve King the Congressman from Iowa. Who, for more than thirteen years has on record said:
“Mixing culture will not lead to higher quality of life but a lower one.
He wanted to make English the official language of Iowa.
He sued Iowa for posting voting information on an official website in Spanish, Laotian, Bosnian and Vietnamese.
King suggested shocking (via electricity) immigrants who climbed the wall.its successful in containing livestock
One the house floor, he said Profiling was an important component of law enforcement.
Suggested paying for the border wall with federal dollars coming from welfare, food stamps and Planned Parenthood
January 2019: Steve King was stripped from all committee assignments after bipartisan condemnation of his remarks on white supremacy (A theme of his for the last 10 years)
From my chair in the balcony, the Democrats want to demonstrate they unlike ,the GOP they walk the talk. I am reminded of Minnesota Senator Al Frankel who admitted and apologized to sexual misconduct when he was a citizen in 2006, his apology was accepted. However when other anonymous woman came forward. he denied the accusations. Members of his party demanded he resign without a full hearing.
In his resignation speech he made comparisons to Republican politicians, saying he was “aware of the irony” that President Trump remained in office despite the comments Trump made in the Access Hollywood tape released a month before his election, and that the Republican Party supported Roy Moore‘s Senate campaign despite the many allegations of harassment and molestation against Moore (wiki)
Governor Northam may have been flying solo (without council) when the news broke Friday Afternoon. A good publicist would have advised and prepared him before appearing on camera. However, as bad as Friday was, Saturday was a tsunami of bad press.
On Friday, he was almost there. He apologized for the pictures and went on to say “I recognize that it will take time and serious effort to heal the damage this conduct has caused. I am ready to do that important work”. Someone, from his office might have spoken to the press, touting his record, his reputation with the black community and the suspicious timing of the picture,
Over night, they may have linked release of the picture to the date of his comment regarding his position on the Repeal Act and reminded the press of his reputation.
But that didn’t happen! Flying solo, taking a page out of Donald Trumps playbook. He said, that may not be me? and like the 45th President of the United States, he was unable to stop himself. He admitted, “Blackfacing” in the past AS Michael Jackson. A talent contest that he WON, after practicing the moon walk!
Should the Governor resign, the Democratic Lieutenant Governor, Justin Fairfax would become the Governor.
Sunday, February 3, Patrick Howley of the conservative website Big League Politics . reported Vanessa Tyson, a professor of politics at Scripps College, said she was sexually assaulted in 2004 by a campaign staffer who was now up for a “VERY BIG promotion” in Democratic politics. Howley, who was also the first to obtain the Northam yearbook photo, noted that Fairfax was a campaign staffer for presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004 and that he was now poised to become governor of Virginia.
It is reported, she brought her 2004 story to the Washington Post and another media outlet. Both outlets investigated the story and found no corroboration and did not publish the story.
In the State of Virginia, if the Lieutenant Governor is ineligible, it would fall to the Attorney General, Mark Herring a Democrat. If he for any reason can’t serve,it would fall to the Speaker of the House of Delegates would be next in line to take the role. The Virginia House is currently controlled by Republicans and Speaker Kirk Cox would be the interim governor.
The Democratic Party and the citizens on Virginia, should slow the train down. Dont solely judge the Governor on this picture. Judge is life from there forward. What has he said? What has he done? Then look hard at the coincident via Big League Politics before rushing to judgement.
Wouldn’t you want someone to judge you on your complete body of work rather than one picture or a single incident.?
CityFella
Miss Gail says yes………
Arizona State Representative Gail Griffin, wants a wall and wants to charge Arizonans twenty bucks to look at porn on the net.
If her proposed House Bill 2444 passes, Arizona would require companies that make or sell electronic devices in the Grand Canyon State to install software that blocks porn.
To remove the block,you just need to prove that your 18 and give them a non-stick twenty. Payable to the Arizona Commerce Authority.
The money would go into a newly created account called the John McCain Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Fund and the mo-nay would be used to build a big beautiful border wall between Mexico and Arizona. To keep those super cars unique to Met-he-co and those the duct taped women (that no person working at the border has seen before) and those gang member out of Arizona .
Only in the mind of the Trumpster would terrorist choose to fly into Mexico where there are walls instead of wall-less Canada. .
Other legislators, from states more than a thousand miles from the Mexican border are proposing state taxes to help the President with his vision.
As they say in Venezuela, buena suerte !
CityFella
Pete Buttigieg, the 37-year-old Democratic gay mayor of South Bend, Indiana announced this morning he was launching a presidential exploration committee. In an email, the two term Mayor told his supporters “this is a season for boldness”
Bold may be the operative word. As Buttigieg will join 52 year old New York Senator Kristen Gillibrand and 69 year old Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren.
Officially Running: 44 year old Mayor of San Antonio Texas, Julian Castro, Former member of the House representing Maryland’s 6th District, 55 year old John Delaney, Congresswoman from Hawaii, 37 year old Tulsi Gabbard, Senator, 54 year old Senator from California Kamala Harris and Richard Ojeda 48 year old former State Senator from West Virginia.
In 2015 the average age of the Presidential Candidates was 63, the average age of the eight candidates is 49. Four Women including one Black woman, one Latino and one member of the LGBTQ community seem to be remnants from the mid term blue wave
As many as 10 other Democrats may enter the race before the filing window closes .
Currently, Mayor Buttigieg is a long shot. However .so was a little known Senator from Illinois, Barack Obama.
News @ 11
CityFella
The School says it will refuse admission to students who participate in or condone homosexual activity,
If your looking for a job, be sure to read the fine print.
You are pledging not to engage in homosexual activity or violate the “unique roles of male and female.” and watch your Moral Conduct or misconduct.
They include, and not limited to, such behaviors as the following: heterosexual activity outside of marriage (e.g., premarital sex, cohabitation, extramarital sex), homosexual or lesbian sexual activity, polygamy, transgender identity, any other violation of the unique roles of male and female, sexual harassment, use or viewing of pornographic material or websites,”
The application says that the school believes ” marriage unites one man and one woman” AND that “a wife is commanded to submit to her husband as the church submits to Christ. ” The job application asks potential employees to explain their view of the “creation/evolution debate.” ”
If your really, really, REALLY! want your kids to attend the Immanuel Christian School
Springfield, Virginia, you will need to acknowledge the sanctity of marriage as a strictly
heterosexual practice. Families who condone, practice or support “sexual immorality,
homosexual activity or bi-sexual activity go against the principles of the school. In other
words get the hell out sinner!
Because the second lady , Karen Pence is teaching at the school.
Her husband, the snappy dressing, snug suit wearing, never a hair out of place Vice
President of these United States Michael Pence has long had issues with the Gay Community.
He has said, that homosexuality is a choice and keeping gays from marriage was not discrimination but an enforcement of god’s idea. 
He voted against a law that would prohibit discrimination of the LGBTQ community in the workplace.
He didn’t like the Obama directive on transgender restrooms. “The federal government has not business getting involved in issues of this nature,”
He supports Conversion Therapy. He suggested that federal money used for fund research on HIV/AIDS should be diverted to programs that provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual behavior.
Defending his wife, he said he found the criticism of his wife working at the school deeply offensive.
In Virginia and many other states, it is legal for private employers to discriminate on the basis of sexual and gender identity.
It is a challenging climb, but we will get to the mountain top.
CityFella
